The Little Difference That Makes The Big Difference

People often ask me, is there any one thing that makes the difference between success, mediocrity and failure. My answer is always the same. The little difference that makes a big difference is ATTITUDE. A Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) is essential for success. Without, it you are doomed to an unhappy life of mediocrity at best and at worst failure.

PMA is the right mental attitude for each specific occasion. It is not the naïve belief that if one only looks on the bright side, everything will work out right. PMA is evaluating the situation, and then choosing a course of action that will bring about the desired results. It is the right attitude under the circumstances.

When you have the right mental attitude a Positive Mental Attitude –it will manifest itself in many ways that will help you achieve success personally and professionally. One of the most important, the very little difference that makes the very big difference, is-ENTHUSIASM-a vital ingredient for success-for achieving your goals-doing something that should be done-or for influencing or persuading groups of individuals

Enthusiasm is something that must come from your inner self. The word itself is derived from two Greek words, EN THEOS, which means "God within you” What a beautiful thought! But, the definition vividly illustrated that the responsibility rests squarely with us.

No other person can generate enthusiasm for us. Others may inspire us; that’s why we study the lives of great people, read motivational articles and books and listen to and watch inspirational audio and videocassettes. But permanent, sustained powerful enthusiasm comes only from within.

The emotions are not always immediately subject to reason, but they are always immediately subject to action (mental or physical). Furthermore, repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, when repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex.

That’s why I use self-motivations, affirmations, self-commands, autosuggestion, platitudes or any other symbol that can be used deliberately to move myself to desirable action. You can use the same method: Here’s how it works: You merely repeat a verbal self-motivator 50 times in the morning-50 times in the night-for a week to ten days to imprint the words indelibly in your memory. The self-motivator will then flash from your subconscious to your conscious mind when you need it.

I have an inventory of self-motivators that have become such a part of me that the response is instantaneous and automatic; For example, to eliminate or neutralize fear-face problems more directly, turn advantages, strive for higher achievement-solve serious problems or control my emotions; I use one of my favorite self-motivators

v You have a problem. That’s good
v With every adversity there is a seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.
v What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve with PMA
v Find one good idea that will work and work with that one good idea
v Do it now!!
v To be enthusiastic…ACT enthusiastic

Professionals in fields that depend upon their ability to influence others-ministers, salespeople, sales mangers, lawyers, public speakers and teachers have learned that to generate excitement in others, they need deeply rooted personal enthusiasm. Here are a few practical suggestions, mentioned previously in this column, to help you keep your own inner fires burning brightly.

1. Talk Loudly-This helps neutralize fear…if you are shaking inside when you stand before an audience.if you have butterflies in your stomach

2. Speak Rapidly-Your mind works faster than your speech. This will help you keep and stay focused

3. Emphasize-Make key words stand out to your audience. Words like “you” are especially important. We all want to know how an idea affects us personally

4. Pause-As you speak rapidly, pause for emphasis where there would bee a period or comma in the written word. Use the dramatic effect of silence to underscore a point and allow your audience to catch up with you.

5. Keep a Smile In Your Voice- Put a smile in your voice by putting a smile on your face. When you smile, it shows in your voice. This is especially important when talking on the phone or speaking to large groups where many can only hear-not see-you.

6. Modulate-Don’t allow your tone of voice to become monotonous, especially when speaking for a long time. You can modulate both the pitch and volume. Varying the tone and speed and pitch of your voice helps keep your audience interested.

Remember “enthusiasm” and “enthusiastic” are not the same. “Enthusiasm” is from within-it is your own Positive Mental Attitude ..An internal impelling forced of intense

Emotion-a power compelling creation or expression and always implies an objective or cause that’s to be pursued with devotion. “Enthusiastic” on the other hand, is an impelling external expression of …action. Thus the person who acts enthusiastic magnifies the power of suggestion and self-suggestion. The person who acts enthusiastic develops sincere, genuine enthusiasm.

REMEMBER: THE LITTLE DIFFERENCE THAT MAKES THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS
ATTITUDE
And with the right mental attitude, the very little difference that truly makes the big difference is ….ENTHUSIASM.

Wisdom of the Ages

If you gathered 100 experienced managers together and asked for their advice, they probably wouldn’t say much about “competing values models” or “temporal rhythms.” Instead, this is a good idea of what you would hear:

Don’t be afraid of the phrase, “I don’t know.” If you do not know the answer, don’t try to bluff. If you are at fault, take the blame. If you are wrong, apologize. A wise person once said, “If you always tell the truth, you never have to remember anything.”

Never Gossip. If someone wants to gossip with you, politely say you’re not interested. This corporate adage rings true: When someone gossips, two careers are hurt, the person being talked about and the person doing the talking.

No Task is Beneath You. Don’t think you are above anything. Be the good example and pitch in, especially if the job is one that nobody wants to do.

Share The Credit Whenever Possible. Managers who spread credit around look much stronger than those who take all the credit themselves.

Ask For Help. If you think you are n over your head, you are. Before it gets out of hand, ask someone for help. Besides saving yourself from embarrassment, you will make a friend and ally.

Keep Your Salary to Yourself. Discussing salary is a now win proposition. Either you will be upset because someone is making more than you, or someone will be upset with you.

When You Do Not Like Someone, Don’t Let It Show. Especially if you outrank them. Never burn bridges or offend others as you move ahead.

Let It Go. What shouldn’t happen often does. You weren’t given the project you wanted, you were passed over for the promotion you deserved. Be gracious and diplomatic, and move on. Harboring a grudge won’t advance your career.

When You’re Right, Don’t Gloat. The only time you should ever use the phrase “I told you so” is if someone says to you: “You were right. I really could succeed at that project.”

How To Win In Your New Career

Now that you’re with the company that offers you what you are seeking, let’s talk about what it takes to be successful – what really makes people successful in their business. A simple equation does a really great job at simplifying what it takes to really succeed in anything that is worth achieving:

ATTITUDE x EXPOSURE x EFFICIENCY = RESULTS

ATTITUDE:
Attitude certainly is the most important part of this equation. We’re not talking about just a good attitude once in a while. We are talking about an unwavering positive attitude every single hour of every single day.
Talk to anyone who is truly successful in whatever they do – in sports, business or any other activity – and generally you will find that their attitude is exceptional. Maybe they’ve had to overcome challenges along the way. Maybe they’ve been told that it couldn’t be done or wasn’t worth the time – but they didn’t listen. Maybe they had a life-long dream or goal. But what they shared was that they were on a mission – and that is the kind of attitude it takes to be truly successful.
You may find that many people along the way will also try to change your attitude. Coworkers, so-called friends, family or others may try to convince you that you shouldn’t work as hard as you do or that it isn’t worth your time or that you may fail. While these people may have good intentions for saying these things to you, they are wrong. Don’t listen to them. All these messages can make it difficult to maintain your exceptional attitude.

EFFICIENCY:
The efficiency part of the equation is work-related. It’s the elbow grease needed to get the job done. You are always to do every aspect of your job to the best of your ability. To be the best in everything that you do, you have to give 110% all the time. When you do this, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll get noticed. Unfortunately, there may still be people trying to hold you back – and many times it will be your co-workers. Trying to get paid more for doing less has been standard in this country for the last few decades. It’s been in style to ease back when the boss isn’t watching. But this is not the style you want to be in to succeed.
A better habit to get into is to ask a lot of ‘how’ questions, because these questions will instantly help you perform your job better by increasing your understanding. For example, ask how you could do things better. How could you be more effective? When you are given a task, make sure you understand it completely. Repeat it back to your supervisor if you have any questions. Make sure that you both understand what you are about to set out to accomplish. Your goal should be to do the very best that you possibly can in everything you do.

EXPOSURE:
Getting more exposure means spending more time doing things to get better at what you do. It means gaining more responsibility in your position. It shows that you are hungry for success within your organization. Good methods for gaining exposure include arriving early every day. This shows that you are eager to start your job functions. Even if there is not a lot to do at that time, if there is traffic, you will be on time when everyone else comes in late.

Be eager to help out when necessary. If there is a task that needs to be done, be there to gain extra knowledge by being involved. Remember - luck is where opportunity meets preparation. And you want to be prepared to win. You can even take this one step farther: When your supervisor gives you an assignment, ask him or her what else you can do when you have finished it. The reality of it is that your job, in a large part, is to make your supervisor’s job easier. If everyone in the chain of command were to do this, you would have a powerhouse of an organization. And if everyone else doesn’t do it, think how good it will make you look.

Tired of Your Job?

From Day 1, Jill knew she had made a mistake. Newly relocated to Atlanta and anxious to get back to work, she jumped at the first opportunity of employment. Two months later, she regretted her hasty decision. She knew it was a dead was position. The commute was nerve-wracking and the pay mediocre. Jill wanted out, the sooner the better.

In his mid 40’s. Matt finally faces the fact that he had reached his promotional limit. After 12 years with his company he’d risen to accounting manager but that was as far as he could expect to go. A combination of chronological factors, plus a slimming of the management ranks blocked any chances of advancement. The prospect of another 20 years of being pigeonholed was a depressing thought. It was definitely time to explore option elsewhere.

Maria had always loved working in research and development for her software company. The freewheeling, innovative atmosphere of the start-up years was a stimulus to her creative mind. But, conditions began to change rapidly. A large conglomerate with a totally different corporate structure purchased her company. The new owners had a bureaucratic management style where innovation was stifled and status quo rewarded. Maria became restless, resentful and unproductive. She knew she had to move on to get the excitement back into her working life.

DECIDING TO RESIGN
Some surprising statistics have been gathered on the reasons workers leave their jobs. Dan Parker, vice President of A.T. Kearney, a leading national executive search firm, share these results of his firms survey on resignations:

Limited opportunity-47 percent
Lack of recognition-26 percent
Bad management-15 percent
Bored-6 percent
Poor Salary-6 percent

(More than three fourths of all resignations are based on an employee’s human needs for growth and recognition in the workplace. Monetary concerns trail the list.)

Quitting a job is always a major decision, frequently arrived at through painful soul searching. But, once the decision is made, you should be prepared to find other employment and then gracefully resign your present position.

Carefully think through your reasons for leaving. It’s important that you don’t allow temporary emotions to cloud your judgment. It helps to list in writing the positives and the negatives of your present situation. You should also have a clear idea of what you want in your new employment. You certainly want to avoid the same situations that led your present discontent.

Finding Your New Job-
Explore the water before you announce you’re leaving. Depending on your personal situation you may want to discuss your decision with your immediate manager. Some will be sympathetic and offer help. Others will feel angry and betrayed by your actions. You have to decide if you want to share your plans and take a possible risk.

If confidentially is necessary, network carefully. Some industries are very closely knit and you wouldn’t want your boss to get the word through the grapevine. That’s definitely not the way to resign a position. It’s usually a good way to get fired. So let people know that this search is being done in a confidential fashion. Interviews should not be done on your present company’s time clock. That’s not playing fairly. A prospective employer can certainly arrange their interviews around your present working schedule. If necessary use vacation days to schedule your appointments.

If you are offered another position, get the offer in writing before you announce your resignation. This is an important safeguard. Have a clear understanding with your new employer about a start date.

Resigning-
As always, good manners are your best guide. The proper protocol is for you personally, to inform your manager about your decision to leave. This might not be the most pleasant conversation, but it is a necessary one.

During your conversation, be careful not to burn any bridges, insult or down grade your former employer. Nothing will be gained by such graceless behavior. Offer to give a two-week notice, but don’t be shocked if you’re asked to leave immediately. If your resignation comes as a complete surprise your manager might react emotionally. But you should at least offer to assist in a smooth transitional period.

Counteroffers-
A tricky part of resigning is having your employer come back with a counter offer to induce you to stay. While this is certainly flattering it can also be a potential bombshell.

As an executive search consultant with years of expertise, Mr. Parker has some sage words when considering a counteroffer. “Your employer comes back with an offer of more money to have you stay on. Logically, why are you worth more money to have you stay on? Logically, why are you worth more money today than you were yesterday?” Is it simply because someone else values your talents?”

Mr. Parker backs up his warning on counteroffers with the results of a study done by A.T. Kearny. The report tracked 400 managers who resigned from their positions during a three-year period. FIFTY INE percent were given counteroffers by the employers and 27 accepted them. After an 18-month period fully 25 of those rehired were either terminated or left the company on their own. Only two managers still held their job. RATHER POOR ODDS!!
The message seems to be, if you’ve carefully weighed all factors and decided to quit, stick to your guns and go. Ending a relationship with a company is a difficult multi-layered decision. But for many of us, it’s best career move we can make.

Getting a Counter Offer-Don't Do It!

Matthew Henry, the 17th century writer said, "Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in fine shiny colors that are but skin deep." The same can be said for counteroffers, those magnetic enticements designed to lure you back into the nest after deciding its time to fly away.

The litany of horror stories I have come across in the years as an Executive Recruiter, Consultant and publisher, provides a litmus test that clearly indicates counter offers should never be accepted . . .EVER!

I define a counter offer simply as an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after you've announced your intention to take another job. We're not talking about those instances when you receive an offer but don't tell your boss. Nor are we discussing offers that you never intended to take, yet told your employer about anyway as a "they want me but I'm staying with you" play.

These are merely astute positioning tactics you may choose to use to reinforce your worth by letting your boss know you have other options. Mention of a sure counteroffer, however, carries an actual threat to it.

Interviews with employers who make counteroffers and employees who accept them have shown to be as tempting as they can be. Acceptance may be CAREER SUICIDE! During the past twenty years, I have seen only isolated incidents in which an accepted counteroffer has benefited the employee. Consider the problem in its' perspective.

What really goes through a boss's mind when someone quits?

§ "This couldn't be happening at a worse time."
§ "This is one of my best people. If I let him/her quit now, it'll wreak havoc on the
morale of the department.”
§ "I've already got one opening in my department. I don't need another one right now."
§ "This will probably screw up the entire vacation schedule."
§ "I'm working as hard as I can, and I don't need his/her work, too."
§ "If I lose another good employee, the company might decide to "lose" me."
§ "My review is coming up and this will make me look bad."
§ "Maybe I can keep him/her on until I find a suitable replacement."

What will the boss say to keep you in the nest? Some of these comments are very common.

§ "I'm really shocked. I thought you were as happy with us as we are with you. Let’s
discuss it before you make your final decision."
§ "Gee, I've been meaning to tell you about the great plans we have for you, but it's all
been very confidential up until now."
§ "The VP has you in mind for some exciting and expanding responsibilities."
§ "Your raise was scheduled to go into effect next quarter, but we'll make it effective
ASAP."
§ "You're going to work for who?"

Let's face it, when someone quits it's a direct reflection on the boss. Unless you are really incompetent or a destructive thorn in his/her side, the boss might look bad by "allowing you to go. His/her gut reaction is to do what has to be done to keep you from leaving until he/she is ready to let you go. That is human nature.

Fortunately, it's also human nature to want to stay unless your work life is abject misery. Career changes like all ventures into the unknown, are tough. That’s why bosses know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons.




Before you succumb to a tempting counteroffer, consider these universal truths

§ Any situation in which an employee is forced to get an outside offer before the
present employer will
suggest a raise, promotion, or better working conditions, is suspect.
§ No matter what the company says when it is making it’s counteroffer, you will
always be consider a fidelity risk. Having once demonstrated your lack of loyalty (for
whatever reason), you will lose your status as a team player and your place in the
inner circle.
§ Counteroffers are usually nothing more than stall devices to give your employer time
to find a replacement for you.
§ Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist. Conditions are just a bit more tolerable
in the short term because of a raises, promotion, or promises made to keep to you.
§ Decent and well-managed companies don’t make counteroffers, EVER!! Their
policies are fair and equitable. They will not be subjected to “counteroffer
coercion” or what one may perceive as blackmail.

IF THE URGE TO ACCEPT A COUNTEROFFER HITS YOU, KEEP ON CLEANING OUT YOUR DESK AS YOU COUNT YOUR
YOUR BLESSINGS!!!!

What Not to Do in a Job Interview

According to a survey by Vault.com, the following actions during an interview would cause the hiring manager to dismiss a candidate for consideration:

Making a cell phone call 95%
Leaving before the interview is over 88.9%
Accepting a cell phone call 86.3%
Bringing a pet 85.8%
Removing shoes 84.5%
Exhibiting poor hygiene 77.1%
Asking for a cigarette break 76.3%
Using profanity 74.2%
Applying/Reapplying lipstick 61.1%
Bringing a child 60.3%
Arriving 10 minutes or more late 30.3%

A Nation of Job Hunters

Ever feel as though everyone you know wishes he worked somewhere else? We.. it turns out, the majority of us really do. A new survey conducted by the Society of Human Resource Managers found that 75% of the nation’s employees are looking for a new job. Executives are the most dissatisfied, with 82% on the job hunt. Unsurprisingly, most people (43%) say they want a new job for more money. But dissatisfaction with opportunities at their current job and burnout were pretty high on the list (35%).